Knitting mechanism



Sept. 2 1924.

1,506,800 J. F. waLcoMB NNNNNNNNNNN HANISM 19 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 ff S Inventor,

J'anlc Wi lcom,

Sept. 2 H924. ,506,800

J. F. WILCOMB KNITTING MECHANISM Y Filed June 2o. 1919 8 Sheets-sheet 5 m "f y Inventor.'

spfn 2, 1924. Y. 1,506,800

J. F. WELCOME KNITTING MECHANISM Sept. 2. i924. 1,506,800

J. F. wlLcoMB KNITTING MECHANISM Filed June 20, 1919 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Inventor:

,XF nk Wilcon Sepiau 2 g w24. gvg@ J. F. WHLCQM NITTINGYMEGHAMSM Filed June 20. 1919 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 sem., 2, 1924. 1,506,809

J. F. WELCOME KNITTING MECHANISM wm 't im mdhnrimmwdrimwffmm l m, I||

l 1 Inventor.

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COEPQEATEN @F MASSACHUSETTS.

KN'ITTING MECHNISM,

application ined rune 2o', iria serial in. 305,473.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that l, J. FRANK lViLcoMB, a citizen of the United Statesa and resident of llorcester, Mass., have invented certain new and useful lmproveme-nts in Knitting Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention isan improvement in knitting machine organizations in which a new ilorm of knitting instrument is employed, it being neither ci the latch needle nor spring beard needle type,but of the Jrcrm shown in Patent 1,3915033, granted Septembei 2o, 1921.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangement of parte hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings Figure l .isa sectional view of .part of the cylinder and dial of a rib knitting machine embodying features of my inventiono' The hooked yarn drawing elements being partly advanced.

Figu with the hooked yarn drawing elements and their quills or loop controlling elements in advanced position for receiving the yarn.

Figure 3 is a. view similar to Figure 2 with the hooked yarn drawing elements in the same advanced positions oi Figure 2 but with the quills partly retracted.

Figure 4c is a view similar to Figures 2 and l 3 but with the hooked elements oil the cylinder knitting instruments or units partly retracted and with the quills in the same position as in Figure 3.

Fi e 5 is a view similar to Figures l, 2, 3 and t but with old loop cast from. the cylinder knitting instrument or unit and inst before the new dial loop is taken by the hooked element of the dial knitting instrument. I

Figure 6 shows the parts inal slightly dirterent relative position :trom Figure 5, that is, the new dialv loop has been taken by the hooked element of a dial knitting1 instrument or needle unit.

Figure. 7 is a similar view with the dial hooked element retracted and the old Adial loop cast ed. l

Figure lav is a section of rib fabric..

Figures .8 land 9 are respectively a plan view and liront view oa' yarn `feed device.

re 2 is a View similar to Figure l.

Figures 10 1;? are sectional view of a ib machine employing sinkcrs and web holders. Figure 18 is a sectional* view of the needle cylinder and web holder bed.

F lgure i9 is a sectional viewV of the web holder bed. O

Figure is a sectionalv view of the dial. v

The. needle unit or knitting instrument comprises a hooked yarn drawing element having a hook 2 and a stem 1 with a butt 3. rllhis element is `slidably mounted in a quill or loop controlling element which is slidably mounted in one oi the grooves of the cylinder or dial as the case may be. The quill is made up of a stein d of channel form receiving the stem' of the hooked'element, a nose 5, a rise 6; a swell or 'hump 7, a drop 8 and ya throat 9, a butt 10, and there is a stop ll.-

ever that the'knitting units have no latchesor spring beadsz and the use of all the devices attendant upon these old types ot needles is avoided together with the various objections which exist thereto and which are well lniown to skilled knitters.

ll employ in my rib machine web holdersl l2 which may act in the ordinary way when forming welts on the cylinder needle units. ll use the webv holders for an additional func tion for which they are formed with a. preierably blunt nose as at i3. The web holder is so proportioned and is so operated that its blunt nose reaches nearly to the verge of the dial leavingy space just enough tor the fabric to pass down between the web holder nose and the' verge ot the dial, and thus the dial loop will be held in a definite position on the `quill stems as they'are projected lorward to receive new yarn., yThe loops will lodge in the throats and will be heldont or thepatli of travel of the cylinderinstruneedle units may be operative in the dial grooves nearer the verge or in a circle or path of a larger radius than heretofore.

It is well known in the art that` dial grooves that are radially arranged are thiny ner and weaker nearest to the center of the dial, and that there must be a considerable space left near the verge to enable the latches to swing freely, therefore the needle grooves for the butts cannot extend into the zone of the swinging latch. Fineness of gauge in rib machines is limited to a degree by the thickness of the needle walls near the center of the dial. The herein described dial has a larger needle wall radius due to the fact that latches are not used in the needles, therefore no free space is provided fon' them, also to the new form of dial'which has a groove as channel 14 into which the hooks of the elements 1 recede and draw loops, and the extended needle wall 15 reaching, if desired quite to the cylinder needle plane. Owing to the length of the wall greater thickness is obtained for strength and cams for the needle units can be of lower angle than heretofore, and secure the same degree of recession of the needle unit in a given arc than cams of the usual angle set much nearer the center.

, As shown in all the drawings the butts of the hooked elements of the needle units or knitting instruments are located, even when in retracted position, comparatively close to the verge of the dial and the butts of the quills or loop controlling elements `also lie comparatively close to the dial verge,

and consequentl a larger number of knitting units per inch can be provided than would be the case were it necessary to carry the needle grooves to near the axial center of the dial. j

The web holder bed is mounted on vthe cylinder near the needle verge.- It is well known in knitting, that lint'lodges, accumulates and packs, in the needle grooves or any other openings near the knitting point unless means are provided to clear the lint as fast as it lodges. The dial mountin construction herem disclosed is designed or the specific purpose of avoiding lint accumulating or packing. The needle unit itself byy its movement cleans the lint away at each stroke.

vThis mounting comprises the ledge 16 made u of outward extensions of the needle slot wa ls and upon the ledge the web holder` bed 17 is supported being clamped thereto by the member 17 en aging the lower face of the ledge and held y a screw as 18 to th under side of the web holder bed. -f v Referring to the sinker fed rib machine: The drawing Figures 10 to 17 show a rib knitting machine having two'sets of needle units or knitting instruments arranged at right angles to each other. Sinkers for feeding yarn to the cylinder needles are shown, and the web holders are illustrated as loop or stitch guards for the dial loops during rib knitting, and fabric, or web holders when welts or flat fabric is being knitted during which time the dial needles are inactive.

The sinkers and web holders may be of anI desired form and operated in any suitab e way. For convenience of illustration I show sinkers and web holders of the interlockin type such for instance as are made the su ject of Letters Patent of the United states, Feb. 5, 1918, No. 1255258.

This form is used as an example of any form which may be suitable for the purpose. The sinker is shown at 19 operated by a cam 2O and having a projection 21 to engage shoulders 22, 23 on the web holder, and a spring band 24 which tends constantly to force the web holders inwardly towards the center of the machine. A

Figure 10 shows the normal, or temporarily idle osition of sinkers, needle units, andv web hol ers. At this period the hooked elements of the cylinder units are higher than their lowest, or stitch drawing position, and the cylinder quill is at, or about the lowest positlon of its travel. The quill point is below the cylinder verge out of possible contact with the yarn or fabric loops. The same is true of the dial needle. The web holder is in its extreme advanced position, the nose contacting a. dial loop, but not engaging cylinder loops because thev yarn reaches from the cylinder needle units to the dial needle units forming an inverted V and there is no yarn or fabric within reach of the throat of the web holder, during rib knitting. Thesinker is in a position .of rest, a little advanced from its extreme backward movement, so as to permit the spring bands behind the web holder to push the said web holder against the dial loop.

Figure 11 shows the hooked element of the cylinder needle unit advanced nearly or quite to its extreme upward movement preparatory to receiving yarn from the sinkers. The cylinder quill has advanced upward until the point has passed through the fabric .loop on the stem of the hooked needle element. IThe sinker has .f retired backward so as to allow the thread carrier tov pass the sinker nose, also to withdraw the web holder, and free any possible grip it may have on the fabric or dial loop'so that the fabric may be pulled taut by-a.

a position over the dial needle unit and projecting into the dial needle slot. The web` holder being released b the sinker is now in contact with the dia loop by reason of the spring band against the web holderheel stem. The hooked element of the dial needle unit has advanced nearly as far as is safe without contacting the sinker which operates in the same radial plane therewith. The dial quill has not materially advanced. The cylinder quill has advanced nearly as far as is safe to go without contacting the new sunk loop on the cylinder hooked element (side Contact).

Figure 13 shows the sinker and web holder in practically unchanged position, the dial hooked element slightly further advanced and Ithe dial quill quite well advanced through the dial loop. 'lhe loop being restrained from advancing by reason of the web holder nose contacting it. The cylinder quill having advanced until the swell is safely through thecylinder loop, and the cylinder hooked element has retracted until the hook is guarded by the swell of the quill. From this position the hooked element and quill will tra-vel together during the remainder of their down- Ward movement.

Figure 14 shows the sinker retiring with the new loopready to drop oliq the sinker lip, the cylinder hooked element and quill having retired until the fabric loop is about to pass over the. hook. The web holder position is unchanged. The dial hooked element has advanced to its extreme forward position, and the dial quill has advanced until the dial loop is safely in the quill throat.

Fivure 15 shows the dial quill slightly retracted but it still ho-lds the dial loop in vr"the"r quill throat, so as to allow the new yarn to be drawn across the throat of the dial hooked element. rlhe cylinder hooked element has moved downward, and has cast oil its fabric loop `and,l is shown pulling the new yarn across the dial hooked element. This view shows the division of the fabric loop from the new fed yarn on the dial needle unit. 'llhis is an important feature ot a rib machine. rThe sinker has still further retracted but not enough to act on or withdraw the webj holder.

Figure 16 shows the dial hooked element retracted so as to hold the newly fed yarn in the hook, the quill swell guarding the said hook.

Figure 17.Between the position ot F igure 16 and this ligure, the cylinder hooked elemen-t and cylinder quill have retracted to their lowest position, the quill remaining there, and the said hooked element has advanced to relieve the strain onvthe yarn during the time while the dial hooked element has been casting oi' its old loo-p and has drawn the new loop through it in the manner common to rib machines. ln this igure both sets of needle units are about to assume the positions shown in Figure 10,

or normal positlon.

The hoo ed element is moved upward by a cam land downward b another cam, Figure 11. The quill is pus ed upward by a cam in a different cam path from that of the hooked element, and are pushed downward by another cam a part of the way, then the butt of the hooked element contacts the quill stop and the two travel together under the impulse of the needle cam acting on the butt of the hooked element.

Much latitude must be allowed in the matter o timing the relative movements of the hooked element and uill. The relative movements may be varie according to the ideas of a knitter or machine designer without departing from the main purpose of this invention.

As before stated the walls oi the needle slots of the dial may be extended, see Figures 10 and 12, to the vertical plane of the backs of the hooked elements of the cylinder needle units, or they may extend only as far as the verge of the dial. ln either case the sinker throat and nose may enter the dial slot with safety because the slot is always Wider than the sinker nose plus the space necessary to accommodate the arn on each side of it, so that the yarn wil not be chafed. ln vthe construction mentioned above with the wall of thc dial slot eX- tending to the vertical plane of the back of the cylinder hooked element the advantage is gained that the end of the needle slot wall will present a support for the hooked element to resist the bending tendency due to the thrust of the sinkers against the yarn and through the yarn upon the hooked element. rlhe hookedv element may be ot the finest gauge on this account.

ln the latch needle machines the above results cannot be attained because the latches bar the sinkers from entering the 'needle slot and consequently the walls of the dial slots could not. be carried forward to furnish supports for the backs of the hooked elements ot the cylinder needle units.

Reverting to the hooked elements and quill member as embodied in a rib machine, it will be noted that the over-all thickness ot the quill is equal to that of the usual spring needle of the same gauge or number of needles to the inch. The hooked element sliding in the quill is of necessity thinner than the quill to the extent o the two walls of the quill. Therefore, the space between two hooked elements at the level of the sinkers is greater than in machines emploing the ordinary forms of latch or spring eard needles. This allows more space for the yarn and for the passa-ge of lumps, bunches or knots, and there is less liability of imperfections occurring in the fabric. The hooked element of my present construction is more delicate than ordinary needles of the same gauge` of machine but this is compensated for y the support afforded this hooked element by the extended wall of the dial needle groove, and 1f this support is not provided then the back and sides of the quill afford supporting means, and this is so with or without the extended wall.'

Referring to the action of the quill cams, it will be understood that these ac'tlng on the quill butts will force the qnlls forward and part of the way back. he last part of the quills inward or backward movement is imparted to it by the butt of the hooked element Contactin with thestop of the qulll,

and thereby the iook of said element and the swell of the quill will be brought into registry so that loops may pass freely over the swell of the quill and the hook.

The hooked elements may travel forward to receive the yarn in advance of the quills movement and therefore low angled cams may be used against the quill butts.

A single row of hooked yarn drawin elements with their quills or loop contro ling elements may be used together with a row of sinkers cooperating therewith and relatively fixed needle Vguards or supportsV for resisting the thrust of the yarn when being sunk may be used with this single row of needle units acting like the ends of the extended dial slot walls, above described.

I claim 1. A rib knitting mechanism comprising two carriers, two rows of instruments for knitting rib fabric, each instrument having an inner element and a channeled elementl U shaped in cross section, embracin the inner element and in the same grooves t erewith, the U shaped elements havin throats to hold the two rows of loops einitely Separated and instruments arranged lopposite the verge of the carrier of one set of instruments to hold the loops to said verge 'against the thrust of the said channeled elements to lodge the said loops in the throats thereof.

2. A rib knitting mechanism comprising cylinder and dial carriers, a row of instruments for each of said carriers cooperating to knit ribbed fabric, said instruments having throats to hold the two rows of loops` definitely separated and instruments ar ranged opposite the verge of said `dial to hold the loops on said dial instruments to said verge against the thrust of said dial instruments to lodge the said loops in the throats thereof.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signa-- ture.

J. FRANK WILCOMB. 

